No Room

Technically, there is not an innkeeper mentioned in any scripture concerning the birth of Jesus.  That person is assumed to be a part of the story because Mary and Joseph did stop at an inn or guest house of some sort to seek shelter.  We know that there was no room available and they were directed to an alternative shelter inhabited by animals.  This shelter fulfilled prophesies concerning Jesus's birth and made it possible for the shepherds to locate the holy child as he would have been the only babe lying in a manger.  Praise the Lord that even in the middle of our chaos, God's beautiful plan is still unfolding.

I believe there was a person who communicated this message of "no room" to the couple.  Can you imagine the chaos in the small town when the census was about to be taken and, much like we experience on Black Friday, there would have been such a surge of activity in an area that was not equipped or prepared for this onslaught of visitors.  We don't know the specifics or motivations behind the couple needing to find their final shelter, but my mind took me on a little adventure as I thought about it this morning, so I will attempt to take you with me.

I thought about the person who had to turn them away because there was no room.  I thought about having to turn away a woman who was clearly in labor.  I thought about what alternate choice I would have had and the only thing I could think of is that I would have had to give up my own shelter.  Who knows if that would have been an option, but let's just say it was because that thought was powerful to me because.....I AM AN INNKEEPER.....I keep my heart and my mind full of things that are clearly important to me, right! :)  When Jesus comes to knock...I can totally see how easy it would be to look around at the accumulation and say "NO ROOM!"  Have I not said that in so many words?!  The only choice we have as innkeepers of our hearts is to give up our own place to Him, right?  Complete HUMILITY....to be displaced from our "throne" for the sake of our salvation.

I was able to sing "Be Born In Me" this morning for our services....WHAT A POWERFUL SONG and privilege to sing it!  I have a couple favorite lines in that song....one is "every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem" and the other is "the only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy!"  Isn't that true?  I want to have a place for Christ this Christmas!